Writing-machine.



No.'827,584:. PATENTED JULY 31, 1906.

J, B. VIDAL.

WRITING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 30, 1904.

. 4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES: IIVVE/VTOR A'UORNEYS.

No. 827,584. BATENTED JULY 31, 1906. J. B. VIDAL.

I WRITING MACHINE.

APPLICATION IILBD JULY 30, 1904.

' 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES: lfl/l/E/VTOR a Juanfi. wall 97%:

ATTORNEYS PATENTED JULY 31, 1906.

J. B. VIDAL- WRITING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 30, 1904.

4 SHEETS-SHEETH.

. N Vf IV TOR hang 7 Z 6 Z66Z ATTORNEYS No. 827,584. I PATENTED JULY 31, 1906.

J. B. VIDAL. WRITING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JU LY3O, 1904. I

' 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4 INVENTO R iJiaanZJZaZ ATTORNEYS WITNESSES.

M and N.

speed equal to rectly down upon their upper surfaces.

JUAN B. VlDAL, OF HAVANA, CUBA.

WRITING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. July 31, 1906.

Application filed July 30. 1904- Serial No. 218,836.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it'known that l, JUAN B. VIDAL, a citizen of Cuba, and a resident of Havana, Cuba, have invented a new and Improved Writing- Machine, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

7 My invention relates to a writing-machine; and the object is to construct a writing-inachine which will be capable of attaining a that of an expert stenographer.

Reference is to be had to the accompany ing drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the fig ures.

Figure 1 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 1 1 in Fig. 3, showing one embodiment of the invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevation. Figs. 3 and 4 are vertical sectional views on the lines 3 3 and 4 1, respectively, in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view showing in side elevation certain details of the device, and Fig. 6 shows a device'for reading the characters produced by the machine.

The machine comprises two sets of keys 1 1 and 12. The keys of the first set are ten in number and arranged in the relative positions which the fingers and thumbs of the two hands would are placed at right angles to the front of the machine. It will beunderstood that these keys are not only at different distances from the front of the machine, but at different elevations.

The keys for the two thumbs are marked keys and back of them is preferably laced an extra key, (marked T,) which may e op erated by either one of the forefingers, if desired. The second series of keys are located immediately in front of first series, and consequently there are eight of them. The first series of keys and the key T areintended to be operated by pressing (E- T e second. series of keys, however, are intended to be operated by pulling forward upon their vertical surfaces, which are preferably provided with designating characters. It will be obvious that with this construction each fingerwill-be adapted to operate upon one of the keys 11 by a downward pressure, and it will also, by a; slight movement, be adapted to press against and operate one of the keys 12.

One of the keysin the series marked 12 assume when the forearms.

At a point between these two the finger-keys of the is of special construction and is indicated at 12% This key is shorter than the other keys of the series, and an extra key (marked extends over it and at the back of it in such a manner that the operation of this key X by a forward pressure will operate the key 12* in the same manner as the keys 12 are operated. Also downward pressure upon the top of the key X will operate said key without imparting any motion to the key 12*. The forward movement of the key X has noeffect upon the marking device, which is intended to be operated by said key when it is pressed down. The purpose of this arrangement of the keys is to so place the keys that to the anatomy of the hands, and the tips of the fingers will naturally rest on the keys 1 1 without effort upon the part of the operator, and it is intended that the fingers remain in this position during the operation of the machine except when the are moved slightly forward for the purpose of operating the keys With this construction when a finger operates its key the other fingers will not be re uired to make any motion whatever. It wil also be apparent that as each finger touches its key and does not have to be removed therefrom there will be no danger of a finger touching the wrong'key, and mistakes are thereby avoided.

The means for causing the operation of the keys to produce the desired characters or writing will now be described, reference being had es ecially to Fig. 3. 13 represents a lever whic is provided with a slot 13 in its outer end, by means of which the lever is pivoted up the machine. A second lever 15 is pivoted at the front of the machine upon a rod 16, which also extends across the machine. These two levers are pivoted together at the point 15*, and combs 1-7 and 17 are provided for guiding the lever 15. The rear end of the-lever 15 is attached, b means of a connection 18, to a bar 19, whic is supported by means of a rod 20, having a depression 20 for the reception, of the bar 19. The rod 20 is made of flexible material, so as to constitute a spring for keeping the bar 19 in an e evated position. It is mounted upon the frame by means of a bar 21 at one end and a comb 22 at the other, both securednipon a airof standards 23. The end of theispringbar 20 passes freely through the slits in the comb 22, so that when the ever 15 is depressed the spring-bar may assume the posithey will conform on a rod 14, which extends across ordinari y means (represented at 25) and a comb 26 at the bottom. 27 is a marking device located at the lower part of-the bar 19. 28 is an inking device attached to a movable base 29,

which is pressed forwardly into position to be.

acted upon by the marker 27 by means of a spring 30. This base 29 is pivotally mounted at 31 and is provided with a stop32. 33 is a roller over which passes a continuous strip of paper 34. This strip ma be fed in any desired manner and may e of any width; but by locating the various levers as indicated in 1, so that they converge toward a point at the rear of the machine, the bars 19 may be brought very closely together and the aper 34 need not be wider than that i used in a Morse telegraph instrument.

' The form of connections for transmitting motion from the keys to the marking devices, which has been described, is not necessarily used for all the keys of the machine and, in

. fact, is intended only for use with those as, for instance, the series 11.

which are operated by downward pressure The series of keys marked 12 are operated by means of connections such as those shownin Fig. 4, in

which 35 is a lever to the upper part of which a key-12 is attached. All of these levers are pivoted to a rod 36', which extends from side to sideof the machine, and they are provided with guides 37, which keep the key-in its proper position relative to the levers 15, which are the same as the levers 15 shown in Fig. 3. Each of the levers 15 to which one of the levers 35 is connected is provided with a piece of metal 38, which has a slot 40,

, through which the rod 14 passes and which 55 ted lines, swingingit about the rod 14 as a acts as, a guide for the piece of metal. An additional guide and sup ort is provided in the overlap ing ear 41, w 'ch is intended to rest upon the topof the lever 15'. A downwardly-extending end-of this piece of metal is provided with an opening 39, by means of which joined to the lever 35. The other parts of 'the connections are similar to those shown in 7 %pon the operation of the ke '12 from the position shown in full lines in Fig. 4 to that shown in dotted lines about its pivot 36 the connection 42 wilibe caused to tallic piece 38into the position s own in dotpivot and forcing the lever 15 downwardly, so as to o erate the connection 18. The 0 eration of the other connections will be t e same as that previously describe a The key T may, if desired, be provided 3, or a simpler arrangement may be made by and having the rear end of the bars supported bymeans of one of the connections 18 di rectly from therod 19. In order to provide for an additional key, shown in Fig. 5 may be adopted. Here the key X is connected by means of a lever 44 with one of the levers 15'in the manner similar to that shown in Fig. 3 but said key X is grally mounted thereon, and consequently a stop 45 may be provided for preventing the key from swinging backward.

The key 12 is designed to be contained below and in front of the key X and is mounted upon the rod 36 in the-same manner as the keys 12. The key X has a projection X, which extends to the rear of the key 12 and is normally in contact with it. Now it will be observed thatby pressing the key X down the lever 44 will be operated in the same manner as the levers 13, and the pro er marker will be actuated. This result wil be accomplished/without any movement of the key 12*. When, however, the key X is pressed forward in the same eys 12, it will swing upon its pivot without movin the lever 44 and will cause the key 12 to be moved forward in the usual manner, and thus actuate the proper marker.

The marks on the paper 34 will, as is obvious, indicate words or any desired characters by means of their relative locations upon the paper. For example, the mark corresponding to the key marked A will re reone to the left of Fig. 1-marked 12, may

a wire or similar connection 42 is 1111 the me conveniently represent the letterW, and so on. .In order 'to read the writing roduced on the strip of aper, a gage, suc as that represented in ig. 6, may be used. This is merely a guide 46: for the paper, having upon an edge the letters or characters. in the order in which they appear on the keyboard. By drawing the paper through the guide it will be obvious that the words pl'rowhich the dashes appear on the .paper. --It- 7 will be apparent that themarkers 27 may, if

des red, be provided with the characters whlch it is desired for them to rint, in which ployed.

Although I have illustrated and described a articular embodiment of my invention, it W1 1 be obvious that it is capable of construcllimited to the vine shown and described:

with connections such as those shown in Fig. a

mounting it directly upon one of the bars 15 pivoted to the lever 44 instead of being intesent A, and the next onethat is, the rst duced may be read by observing the order in.

case the reading-gage will not ave to be emtion in many other forms and is not strictly:

the arrangement I manner as the J claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent '1. A writing-machine having keys, one series being adapted to be operated by vertical pressure and the other series hein ada ted to be operated by pressure in anot er irection, and an additional key located in line with said second'keys and adaptsecond series. I

-. 3. A writing-machine havin and adapted 'ond series and ed to be operated by vertical pressure.

2. A writing-machine having two series of.

keys, one being located at the rear of the other and adapted to be operated by downward pressure, and the other being adapted to be operated by horizontal pressure, and an additional key located adjacent to said two series of keys arranged at different heig its and at different distances from the front of the machine, one series being at the rear of the other and adapted to be operated by downward ressure, and the other series being adapted to be operated by forward pressure, andan additional key located in line with said second series and adapted to be operated by downward pressure. I

4. A writing-machine havin two series of keys arranged at diflerent heig ts and at different. distances from the front of the machine, one series being at the rear 'of the other to'be operated by downward pressure, and the other series being ada additional key located in line with said secadapted to be operated by downward pressure, and having a projection ada ted -to engage with and operate one of the eys'of said sec'ond-mentiolned series.

'5. A writing-machine having a series of keys, .one series being operable by vertical pressure and the other by pressure in another direction, and an additional key located ad-' jacent to the second series and having a projection adapted to engage with and operate oneof the keys of the second series. 6. A writing-machine having keys adapted to be operated by pressure, and a key adapted to be operated y pressure in another direction, said lastmentioned key having a projection for enhorizontal gaging with one of the keys'of said series to operate it.

7. A writing-machine having a plurality of keys, one key being. adapted to be operated by downward pressure, and provided with means for engaging and operating another.

key in a horizontal direction.

' 8. .A writing-machine having a key adapted to be operated by pressure in two directions, and means operable by the key for printing two characters.

two series of tedto be operated by forward pressure, an an a series of 9. The combination of a series of keys, a series of levers, means connected with said keys for operating the lovers, a series of springs for suspending the free ends of the levers, and a marker dependently supported by each of said springs.

10. A writinganachine, comprising a series of keys, a series of converging levers, means connected to each of the keys for operating said levers, a series of springs for suspending the free ends of said levers, a series of bars each connected to one of said springs and depending therefrom, and a marker on each of said bars.

' 11. A writing-machine, comprising a key board having two series of keys, a series of pivoted levers, connections from said keys to said levers for operating the latter, a series of springs for suspending the free ends of said levers, a series of bars each de ending. from one of said springs, a marking device on each bar, an inkingad in the path of travel of said marking evices, and a roller around which a continuous strip of paper is adapted ass. 1 2. The combination of a keyboard, a series of levers connected with the keys thereof, a spring for each lever, a bar suspended by each spring, means for suspending the free ends of the levers from said bars, and a marking device on each bar.

13. The combination of a keyboard, a series of levers connected with the keys thereof, a frame extending upwardly adjacent to the free ends of said levers, a bar on said frame, a comb also mounted on the frame, a series of springs mounted at one end on said bar and'project'ing freely through the spaces of said comb, and means connected with. said springs for supporting the free ends of the levers.

.14. The combination of a keyboard, a -series of levers connected with the keys thereof, a frame extending upwardly adjacent to the free ends of said levers, ab ar on said frame, a comb also mounted on the frame, a series ICC of springs mounted at one end ons'aidbar through the spaces of Intestimony whereof I have, signed. my

name to this specification 1n the presence of.

two subscribipg witnesses.

JUAN B. vrnrni Witnesses:

ROY H. NEELY, JAMEs vH. SPRINGER. 

